


No Such Thing as Normal

by SoftSlytherin



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Genre: Aliens, F/M, Jack Harkness Being Jack Harkness, Jack Harkness Flirts, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:07:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24275581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoftSlytherin/pseuds/SoftSlytherin
Summary: No one believed Samantha Stewart as a child. She said that she heard voices, soft whispers just too quiet to hear clearly, so they called her crazy. She learned quickly that people don't like things they don't understand. Over the years she gave up trying to convince people of her sanity or truthfulness. Once she was twenty years old she packed her things and moved out into the middle of rural Canada. The voices always went away when people were gone. After a few years, a British man showed up on her doorstep and offered her a chance to see the universe and learn about her powers. How could she refuse?
Relationships: Tenth Doctor & Jack Harkness, Tenth Doctor & Original Character(s), Tenth Doctor/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	No Such Thing as Normal

The building that served as an intergalactic prison had seen better days. Paint was chipping off the walls, liquid dripped from cracks in the ceiling, lights buzzed and flickered overhead. The whole place had an eerie feeling that made Sam feel claustrophobic. The Doctor had armed her with a small gun of some kind and knowledge about their enemy. A distress signal had been picked up by the TARDIS and adventure called the duo to this desolate stretch of space. A prisoner had escaped their cell but was still contained in the building.

“Now remember,” The Doctor whispered, “This thing can read minds and take the form of loved ones. I need you to stay and guard the door.”

Sam was quick to disagree, “If they can read minds then why don’t I go after it? I could read their mind too!” She had some level of telepathy since she was a child and had been practicing using it. The Doctor shook his head and took her by the shoulders sternly.

“If you try to read its mind, it won’t let you. They’re a whole species of mind readers; they know how to keep their thoughts to themselves.”

“But-”

“No, Samantha, no buts. We’re wasting time! Just don’t let anyone out that door unless you’re absolutely sure it’s me.”

Sam nodded and manned her post, weapon drawn and alert. The Doctor nodded to her and set off further into the building. Sam’s heart was pounding in her ears as the seconds ticked by. After a few minutes, she settled into an uneasy sort of calm. Just a few months ago she never would have thought she’d be hunting aliens with an alien. Sometimes she had to pinch herself and make sure she wasn’t dreaming. A distant gunshot rang through the building, startling Sam. Her heart picked up again as she looked around frantically. A figure turned a corner and faced her, Sam pointed her gun at them but sighed with relief.

“Doctor, what happened?!” She asked, holstering her gun

“Found the poor sod and shot him,” He walked closer, “Easy peasy.”

“Are you sure they’re dead?”

“Yep. Checked for a pulse before I left. Nothing.” The Doctor tried to walk around Sam

“Wait a minute,” She objected, “Do you remember what you told me before you left?”

He chuckled, “Of course I do. I told you to make sure that it was me before we leave.”

Sam hummed in agreement and took out her gun again

“Oh you can’t be serious,” He rolled his eyes dramatically, “It’s me!”

“How do I know that?” Sam questioned, using her body to block the door and barring her mind against any telepathy, “Tell me something only he’d know.”

The Doctor looked bored, “Your name is Samantha, but you prefer to be called Sam. I found you living alone in rural Canada because you couldn’t stand to hear the whispers of other people’s thoughts. Everyone thought you were crazy because of it, but you’re gifted.”

She wasn’t convinced, “Could learn that much from reading his mind,” She cocked her gun, “Try again.”

He put his hands up defensively, “Woah! Okay, you’re right about that. But what do you want me to do? He could have learned the answer to every question you could ask just by reading enough of my mind!”

“You’re right…” Sam lowered the gun slightly and thought hard, “...Then I only have one question before we go.”

* * *

The Doctor groaned as regained consciousness in the middle of a hallway. His ears were still ringing from the blow to the head the alien had given him. He swore he fired a shot. The Doctor scrambled over to his gun across the hall and grabbed it.

_Still warm... He couldn't have gotten far-_

His thoughts were interrupted by a gunshot near the entrance.

"Sam?!" He cried out, staggering to his feet and rushing through the halls

The scene he happened across was the one he had hoped for. Samantha standing over the alien, her gun still smoking. The alien had reverted to its natural, grotesque, form. Samantha just stared at it and looked like she might be sick, cry, or both. The Doctor was almost speechless.

"How..." He couldn't finish his sentence he was so astonished, "You're just a human..."

"Yeah..." Sam agreed, "A human who outsmarted a mind-reading, shape-shifting, jackass."

She holstered her gun again and opened the exit. She didn't wait for the Doctor to follow, already on her way back to the TARDIS. The Doctor caught up quickly.

"B-But how?!" He questioned, "How did you do it?"

"How did you let it get away?" She challenged

"It jumped me from behind and knocked me out!"

Sam barked a laugh as she entered the TARDIS, "The Doctor, Time Lord, The Coming Storm... bested by a blow to the head..."

She walked through the console room and into what had been functioning as the living room for months now. Toeing off her shoes, Sam plopped onto a couch and pulled a blanket over herself. She never slept well and last night was no exception. The Doctor sulked in an adjacent chair.

"Your method could be useful in the future." He pouted softly, The Doctor didn't like information being kept from him

Sam rolled her eyes and sighed deeply, "You said that they can learn all your memories, but can't tell what ones really happened. I didn't quite understand what that meant at first. But, you were talking about things like planning and daydreaming. The alien would have seen what you were thinking about but had no way of knowing if it really happened. So, I outsmarted him by letting him think he'd outsmarted me. I asked a question in such a way as to convince him that what I was asking about had really happened. Which means, I had to guess about what you could possibly plan or daydream about..."

"And, judging by the dead alien, you guessed right?"

Sam nodded and clicked her tongue, "Which begs the question," She leaned up and narrowed her eyes at The Doctor, "What did I guess?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are much appreciated! Don't be shy about ideas for possible continuing. I have a second and third chapter planned, but nothing really after that unless you guys want more.


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